


we'll be alright

by minhyukies (chrobins)



Series: Supernatural SF9: bask in moonlight [1]
Category: F. T. Island, SF9 (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Blood, Cuddling & Snuggling, Gen, M/M, Multi, Pack Bonding, Pack Family, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Past Violence, Platonic Relationships, Smooching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2020-02-29 22:00:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18787069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chrobins/pseuds/minhyukies
Summary: youngbin is given a bite that will change his future, an escape from his current life. he is then tasked with saving 8 boys from their own miserable lives, and eventually, a pack is formed.this is the beginning of a tale of 9 boys with beautiful souls, finding each other and discovering what a true family isP.S: i will not use any graphic depictions of violence or abuse, but i will be talking about/showing the aftermath of abuse. please take caution just in case.Part of my Supernatural Idols AU. Check my other fics in the same universe with other groups :)





	1. a rainy night

**Author's Note:**

> stan talent stan sf9 :)  
> find me on twit @minhyukieboy

“Is it really okay for you to go alone?” Inseong’s tone of voice is already coated in defeat, but the urge to protect his leader still made him worry. He can’t imagine the burden of finding their pack all alone, but he can’t  _ not _ show concern. “Is there a rule against, like, a shadow? I could be close enough to come in an emergency, or—”

 

Youngbin sets a strong hand upon the eldest’s shoulder, squeezing him tight, half reassuring, half showing Inseong his place. Just a slight glimmer of his alpha presence. “I’ll be fine. You lot wouldn’t be able to survive without me anyway. Can’t have a helpless pack roaming around without their alpha now, can I?” Youngbin’s teeth flashed into a sweet smile, and the strong grip on Inseong’s shoulder was gone.  

 

“I’ll make sure to put the kids in bed.” Inseong teases back stepping back and bowing his head, submitting to his alpha’s will. “But I can’t promise me or Juho will fall asleep.”

  
  
“I already know.” Youngbin smiles and the door is shut behind him. 

 

There’s a resounding silence echoing in the house of SF9 (Dawon had been quite proud of his coining). The house had been eight strong for just over a year. There was already a bit of cohesion with the pack members, yet knowing their final packmate would be joining later that evening had the wolves on edge.

 

Jaeyoon is first to Inseong’s side when Youngbin leaves. “Is everything fine?” His scent is full of worry; he adores the younger members, and knowing this is their youngest wolf yet, Jaeyoon can’t help but feel panicked for their new and last addition.

 

“It’s alright.” Inseong smiles, wrapping his arm over Jaeyoon’s shoulder. His own scent smothers Jaeyoon’s worry. With his weak heart, Jaeyoon is also easy to be reassured. Just one nuzzle of Inseong’s nose into Jaeyoon’s neck is enough to make the younger boy’s go weak in the knees. “You’ve been up all day prepping the new room. You should head to sleep.”

 

“Mmm...I should.” Jaeyoon hums, his noodly limbs already carrying themselves up the stairs where he and Inseong share a room. “But, the baby…”

 

“Our alpha will take care of him.” Inseong reassures Jaeyoon, helping carry the other into their room. Jaeyoon had been working hard to make sure their youngest member would have a comfortable time adjusting to his pack. But the fatigue finally got to him, immediately flopping onto the bed. His and Inseong’s mingled scents on the sheets are so comforting that the aches in his body slowly begin melting away.

 

Once Inseong tucks Jaeyoon back in, satisfied that he wouldn’t wake in the middle of the night, he heads downstairs to see who else had stayed up.

 

Dawon and Hwiyoung had tried their best to distract themselves with the TV, but even their eyelids are droopy and heavy. They probably wouldn’t last much longer. “Sleep time, boys.” Inseong clams his hands, startling the other two wolves into a fully awakened state.

 

“What? No, hyung, I’m fine.” Dawon lies through a yawn. “I want to see the baby.” Hwiyoung nods enthusiastically, but he looks even more tired than Dawon.

  
  
“You can see him tomorrow. He needs to sleep all night to recuperate." Inseong shakes his head. "Don’t you remember how tired you were the first night?”

 

Dawon huffs. “A small peek?”

 

“Not a single one. We can’t stress a new wolf with eight pairs of eyes staring at him.”

 

Inseong and Dawon stare at each other for a few moments, trying to hold their ground. But Dawon gives up eventually. “But I want first peek in the morning.”

 

“Good luck.” Inseong teases, smiling as Dawon drags a yawning Hwiyoung up the stairs and out of sight, albeit reluctantly. He sighs to himself.  _ Who else is left? _

 

He wanders into the kitchen, finding Taeyang with his hand in a box of cereal. The younger boy pauses, caught like a deer in headlights, but then continues to shove a handful of cheerios into his mouth while keeping eye contact with Inseong. “You won’t tell?” He asks around a mouthful of cheerios.

 

“I won’t need to. Your scent is all over that box.” Taeyang frowns visibly, shoulders slumping. “But,” Inseong adds with a smile, “I think Jaeyoon will be too fussy over our new pack member to worry about who’s eating all the cereal.”

 

Taeyang sticks his hand in for one more handful, a cute display of rebellion, shoving them in his mouth before scurrying out of the kitchen and to his room.

 

Inseong slumps into a couch in the living room, pinching the bridge of his nose. The house is quiet, hopefully meaning the rest of the house was asleep. When the first droplets of rain hit the roof of their home, Inseong starts to worry again. There’s something about their future addition that has him more worried than the rest. Something feels uneasy.

 

As if sensing Inseong’s thoughts, Juho quietly walks in the house from the outside, his hair just a bit damp from the early rain. “Hyung.” Juho grabs a towel hanging by the back door and uses it to dry his hair before walking any closer. “Everyone’s asleep?”

 

“I think so. I haven’t seen Rowoonie. Was he asleep when you left?”

 

“Mhm.” Juho nods. “He wanted to be the first one awake to greet the baby.”

 

Inseong rumbles deep in his chest. “How cute is that…”

 

Juho laughs. “Hyung, how are you going to survive seeing the new baby? He’s going to be  _ full  _ of cute.”

 

Inseong groans again, clutching his chest. “You’re killing me and he’s not even here yet.”

 

There’s a small pause before Juho speaks again. “Hyung...speaking of him...I feel like something is different with this one.” Inseong sits up straight, his face falling in his hands. He figured Juho would be able to sense the shift of this night compared to any other.

 

“Youngbin...isn’t really good at hiding his fear.” Inseong says quietly. “He's gotten better...the others didn’t smell anything off, but…”

 

Juho stiffens. “Hyung reeked today. I had to go outside to get away from the smell.”

 

“Something bad is going to happen to our baby tonight.” Inseong says quietly. Juho accepts it as a truth; only Youngbin knew where to find all the packmates. Youngbin had known what he was walking into to save each person. The fact that Youngbin had smelled of fear earlier today only made Juho and Inseong unable to sleep until all nine of them were inside, safe and sound.

 

Two hours later, the back door nearly slams open. The rain had grown stronger over the course of the evening. Juho and Inseong had sprung up from their half-sleep on the couch, rushing over to the door to help Youngbin. 

 

Youngbin is shifted into his wolf form, carrying the new wolf on his back. Their alpha is exhausted, his legs trembling to hold the wait; the scent of his fur is foreign to Juho and Inseong.  _ How far had Youngbin ran to save the new wolf? _

 

The state of the newly turning wolf is jarring. Their pack instincts kick in, Inseong taking the youngest boy into his arms while Zuho closes the door and tends to their exhausted leader. They work fast as movement from the other wolves upstairs makes the wood creak underneath their feet.

 

Jaeyoon had prepared the main floor bedroom for their newest member earlier that day, close enough to where the pack could feel him but far enough away to give the youngest the space he needs. Now, the planning serves as a barrier from too many curious gazes peeking on a gruesome sight. 

 

Rowoon is first to clamber down the stairs, eager to meet the youngest boy. Youngbin had shifted back to his human form with Zuho’s help, but his legs were still weak. “DON’T MOVE.” Youngbin orders, his loud voice reverberating on the walls. Rowoon freezes in his spot, the order from his alpha willing his limbs to still. Whoever else had awoken from Youngbin’s entrance had stilled too. 

 

Youngbin doesn’t like using that tone of voice; he doesn’t like to see his pack forced to do things against their will. But the safety of their newest wolf is at stake, so he forces himself to play the mean alpha role for just a little bit longer. “Only Inseong, Juho, and myself are allowed to see him right now. Not a single peek until I say it’s okay.” His command carries to the rest of his pack, stilling them. Silence answers him. “Go back upstairs Rowoon.”

 

In control of himself again, the young wolf scampers back to his room, a little hurt. It pains Youngbin, but his pack will understand. Juho helps the leader to his feet, using himself as a weight for Youngbin to lean on. 

 

“Take it easy. Inseong-hyung can manage for a few seconds longer if it means you don’t hurt yourself anymore than you have to.”  

 

“But Chani, he’s not going to—” Youngbin coughs, but still manages to limp to the main floor bedroom. “He’s turning too slowly. His wounds aren’t healing quick enough.”

 

Juho feels Youngbin’s pain soak into his own chest; though Chani is new and not fully turned, he has Youngbin’s bite. He’s already a part of them now. “We’ll be fine. Inseong was made for this, you know. Chani…” Juho tests out the new name, almost chews around the syllables,  _ his new brother,  _ “...will be okay. Our baby Chani...he will be okay.”


	2. sweet honey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the first bit of backstory we get is chani! youngbin sets out to find and save the boy and bring him home to their family of nine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: PLEASE READ
> 
> this chapter has mentions of needles, minor thoughts of suicide, implied minor character death, blood  
> i don't like to be graphic, but i also need to somewhat describe what is going on
> 
> i hope this chapter doesn't feel like a lot :3 thanks for all of your warm comments! i will strive to make this series as best as i can!
> 
> i also apologize for any medical inaccuracies, did some research so hopefully it doesn't seem too far fetched :O

_ Youngbin was about fifty miles away from his pack’s home before he stopped. He let the human form shift over his wolf self, stopping behind a cluster of trees. He pulled his notebook that he had tied to his leg and opened it up to the last few pages. _

 

_ In the book, there are notes from his predecessor on where Chani is, and when to save him. It pains him to see the words on a page, but Youngbin fears he might not be able to stomach what he’s about to witness.  _

 

_ A scream comes from a barn nearby, a quiet place on the outskirts of Paju city. The home is far enough away from neighbors so the screams aren’t noticeable. He takes a deep breath, ties his notebook back around his ankle, and lets the wolf take over once more. _

 

_ He treads lightly, moving to not get caught by any lights, becoming one with the shadows. He makes sure not to step on any thin branches, almost like stalking his prey. If the notes given to him were true (they had been for the seven members he was tasked with saving), he wishes to destroy the ones who hurt his precious Chani.  _

 

_ The notebook had warned him of such murderous thoughts. If Youngbin murders the perpetrators, the hunt for a killer would never end. The search would creep into the Bukhansan park, where the wolves lived, and they would be hunted down and their family would be destroyed. For Chani’s sake, for all of their sakes, Youngbin has only one task; save the boy and turn him under the watch of the full moon. _

 

_ It’s strange to him how each member of his pack just felt like they belonged. Youngbin doesn’t even know what Chani looks like, but he feels a startling pull from inside this barn off a quiet, less-traveled road. Though Youngbin had known how to save each boy, there are still so many questions he has.  _

 

_ ‘Why nine? Why make himself a leader? How did that man know where each boy would be?’ _

 

_ But they are questions for another time, maybe some he might not even get answers to.  _

 

_ Chani’s safety takes precedence. There’s a loud thump from within, and Youngbin takes it as his cue to move.  _

 

_ A man leaves the barn and into the adjacent small home nearby. Youngbin’s heightened hearing pick up on a bit of their conversation. “Those damn kids wouldn’t shut up. But they’ll be quiet now.” _

 

_ “What about the money?” _

 

_ “One’s left. It’s good enough.” _

 

_ Youngbin growls, using as much strength as he can to reign his anger in. He wants to break the front door and tear their hearts from their chest. But a small whimper from inside turns Youngbin’s attention away. The murderous thoughts dissipate as he enters the barn. _

 

_ His nose flares at the heavy stench from inside; had he not been thinking about murder, he might have noticed it outside. It’s dark, save for the moonlight streaming through a cracked window. Youngbin’s eyes, for the first time, lay eyes on the young teen sitting by a stack of hay.  _

 

_ He couldn’t be older than eighteen...he was so thin and covered in a thick layer of grime and dirt. Youngbin padded over quietly, moving close enough until Chani noticed him. Their eyes met, but Chani made no movement or sound of shock. They stare for a moment as Youngbin judges on how he should act. _

 

_ “Are you here to eat me?” Chani asks, voice gruff and hoarse. Defeated. “You should aim for the heart. I’ll die quicker that way.” _

 

_ Those works break Youngbin. His bones ache, the alpha in him screaming to save his pack. He shifts back into a human, kneeling down to reach a hand to the young Chani. “I’m not here to eat you.” Youngbin says, his own voice cracking and echoing in the otherwise silent barn. “I’m here to save you.” _

 

_ Chani’s eyes widen at the transformation, but he still doesn’t move. He just lets his eyes roam over the now human Youngbin, blinking a few times, wondering if the moonlight or the head trauma is tricking him.  _

 

_ They silently stare at each other again, Youngbin too worried to spook young Chani. “I can save you...and make you like me.” _

 

_ Youngbin inches closer, extending out his bare hand, gauging Chani’s reaction. To his surprise, he makes contact with Chani’s cheek, the skin against his hand too cold for a human to survive. How Chani has made it this far, Youngbin commends him for it. _

 

_ The warmth from Youngbin’s hand is unexpected, a feeling Chani has long forgotten. It makes him break into a small laugh. “Wolf man...you’re an hour too late.” His laughter dissipates and the tears begin to stream down his face. “Why couldn’t you come here and save my sisters too?” _

 

_ “I’m sorry.” Youngbin echoes quietly, gently wiping the tears away from Chani’s face. “I’m going to take you somewhere far away from here. I’m going to give you a family who won’t treat you like those monsters that live here.” _

 

_ Chani doesn’t respond. Out of fear, out of disbelief, out of pure fatigue, or a combo of the three, he slumps over onto the blood-soaked hay. Youngbin catches him before Chani’s head can hit the ground, and he lifts him up to where the moonlight is strongest in the barn. _

 

_ A door slams shut from the house nearby. Youngbin fears he doesn’t have much time. He gathers up all his strength, closing his eyes and sinking his teeth into Chani’s wrist. The venom will seep into his blood, and change him from within. Youngbin pulls his teeth away once the deed is complete, and the door to the barn opens. _

 

_ “Shut up! Do you want to end up like your sisters? Don’t think I won’t!” _

 

_ But Youngbin already has Chani over his shoulders, and he breaks through a rotted section of the barn, smashing a way out and into the thick woods where he came from. Slowly, to not drop Chani, Youngbin shifts into his wolf form, keeping the teen on his back as he ran at full speed, not daring to look behind him, It’s in the past now; he only has Chani’s future in mind. _

 

_ ‘Don’t worry, Chani. You’ll be home soon. You won’t ever have to live like that again.” _

 

* * *

 

“He’s not turning because the kid hasn’t eaten in days.” Inseong says, wrapping bandages around the heaviest wounds on Chani’s arms and legs. “Juho, can you bring me my emergency kit? And...honey or something sugary we have.”

 

Youngbin, still soaked with exhaustion, crawls over to the two on the floor. The alpha inside him is tense and worried for his youngest pack member. “Chani...please, he has to make it.”

 

After wrapping a bandage he had been working on, he turns to Youngbin. “He’ll be fine. Chani…” Inseong pauses; he wants to be giddy and happy over the new baby, but Chani’s state has him tense; how could he celebrate when their baby was suffering like this? “He’s going to need a few days of recovery. Here, come closer, Chani might feel better with your scent.”

 

Inseong has Youngbin situated with his back against the edge of the bed, Chani in his lap and head turned into Youngbin’s neck. “Keep his head tilted to the side in case he chokes or throws up.”

 

Juho comes back with everything Inseong has asked him for, closing the door behind him to keep prying eyes away. But thankfully the other wolves seemed to hover upstairs thanks to Youngbin’s command. “Hyung, is it bad?”

 

“Yes and no.” Inseong takes out an emergency set, reading the vials before setting up a syringe with saline and dissolved powder. “He’s in pretty bad shape right now. His external wounds are enough to cause me worry, but the fact that Chani seems to not have eaten much in the past few days worries me.” Inseong sighs. “But because I’m such an amazing nurse, I can save him.” He adds confidently.

 

As Inseong injects the syringe into Chani’s exposed thigh, a whimper leaves his lips, causing the three wolves in the room to whimper back in response. 

 

“Hey, Chani, don’t worry. You’ll be okay.” Inseong cooes, wrapping more bandages around the lighter wounds now that the biggest hurdle seems to be out of the way. “Can you hear me?” The youngest boy stirs a little, but he doesn’t respond much to Inseong’s calls. 

 

Juho has moved to the door; out of all of the wolves, he’s the most sensitive to smells. Combined with the stench of Chani’s state, Youngbin’s overwhelming fear, and the pain from feeling Chani being in pain, it’s nearly too much. “His pulse sounds stronger.”

 

Inseong hums in thought. “Yes, but the sound is still human.” He finds a bottle of honey Juho had brought him. An idea comes to him; Inseong leans forward and squirts some of the honey on Youngbin’s neck, close to where Chani’s nose is. “Sorry hyung.”

 

It takes a moment, but the smell of sugar seems to pep the youngest boy up. His eyes open, and without hesitation, licks up the sugar like a starved wolf. 

 

“Ah yes Chani, good boy.” Inseong really can just spoon feed him if he wants to, but he opts for putting more honey on Youngbin’s neck instead. Their alpha doesn’t seem to mind, in fact he seems giddy that he’s being relied on so well. The bond between them seems to be growing stronger by the second. “Alpha, your happiness smells nice.” Inseong chuckles a bit.

 

A growl interrupts the moment. It doesn’t come from them, but the sound comes from Chani. A different sound joins the room. A weak heartbeat growing stronger and stronger. Youngbin’s venom has finally attached to Chani’s blood. Inseong stands up and claps his hands together. He turned to Juho and smiles wide.

 

_ “He’s turning.” _

  
The wolves upstairs sense the change, and howl together for their new brother.  _ He has finally come home. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please tell me what you thought!


	3. shared pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this time, we get a bit of dawon's backstory and why he feels so crushed bu chani's arrival
> 
> TW:  
> again, no graphic depictions, just the aftermath. mentions of blood and child abuse

Juho and Inseong leave Chani and Youngbin in the room, closing the door behind him. Dawon is waiting for them, arms crossed against his chest. His foot taps incessantly on the wooden floor, and he smells of anxiety. “The baby.” Dawon says through gritted teeth. “He’s pretty fucked up, isn’t he?”

 

It’s an understatement to say Dawon is angry. Not at Inseong or Youngbin, but because he in particular can sense that whatever Chani had went through is probably similar to his own experience. 

 

“Tell me this one is different.” Dawon reaches out and grips onto Inseong’s shoulders. “Tell me he didn’t have to go through what I did.”

 

Inseong wants to say that they only fell down a hill and snagged some sharp thorny bushes on the way. But he had seen the state Chani had been in; and having taken care of Dawon on his first night...he knows those wounds all too well. “Youngbin said...that he couldn’t save his sisters.”

 

Dawon digs his nails into Inseong’s shoulders, pure frustration oozing into his blood like venom. It aches him, it  _ pains  _ him. It’s one thing to be tortured by random people, by strangers; Dawon would accept that any day. But to be abused by the people who are supposed to love you...it brings bile in Dawon’s throat. 

 

“Hey, it’s okay—”

 

“I screwed up, hyung. I know that.” Dawon brings his nails away from the older wolf and droops his head against Inseong’s chest. “I was a rotten piece of shit; I fucked around with a bunch of bullies, and I got into fist fights because I thought it was  _ fun. _ That kind of behavior deserves a good beating. I know that.” He sucks in a sharp breath. “But...the baby doesn’t deserve that. He doesn’t...I don’t…”

 

Inseong wraps his arms around Dawon and holds him tight. “You’re going to have a chance to talk to him, Dawonie. He’s not going to have to endure that kinda pain anymore.”

 

“No.” Dawon stands back up and looks Inseong in the eyes. “I sure as hell will make sure it won’t ever happen again.”

 

* * *

 

 

_ “Listen here, I never asked you for anything. Just your payments for this stupid fucking child. Now clean up the fucking mess, because you helped bring that kid here, and now he needs to go.” _

 

_ Sanghyuk can’t tell if it hurts more than his life is slowly fading away from him and his hands are to slippery to hold on to what little life remains, or the fact that he can still hear his mother talk about him as if he had already died. Maybe it’s because his mother beat him to death and doesn’t seem to care that she did it. _

 

_ “It’s just a body, how hard can it be? His grades are the lowest in the school, he’s been in a bunch of fist fights with all of these gang kids, it won’t be hard to say he ran away. God, I can’t believe that demon was living in my house.” She hangs up the phone and goes out the front door. Sanghyuk is alone now. _

 

_ The wine stained carpet and the permanent cigarette stains seem like a fitting coffin for him, Sanghyuk thinks to himself. He chose to let his life roll down this dark hill, he might as well die on it. Just as he thinks this is the end, the balcony door slams open. _

 

_ “Oh fuck I hope I’m not too late.” A voice extremely unfamiliar sounds fuzzy to Sanghyuk; one of his mother’s friends? He can’t really see through his bruised eyes, so he can’t tell what’s happening around him. “Can you hear me? Listen, I know you’re hurting right now...and I’m sorry, but it’s going to be even more painful.” _

 

_ Sanghyuk wonders if his eyes can roll; how much worse can this possibly get? _

 

_ “Oh wow, Youngbin, he doesn’t look good at all.” Another voice joins in, also unfamiliar. “I’ll try to do what I can, but the wolf venom will have to do the heavy lifting. Make sure his mother doesn’t come back.” _

 

_ Suddenly there’s a warm hand grasping onto his own, gentle to mind the broken bones in his fingers. “I don’t know if you can hear me or not...but my name is Inseong. I technically am a registered nurse, but I didn’t get a chance to finish my studies...ha ha.  Don’t worry! I’ll do my best to heal some of your wounds….” There’s a pause. “I promise you’re going to be okay, Sanghyuk-ah. It’s just a bit more pain, and then you’ll never have to suffer anymore...I’ll make sure of that.” _

 

_ The warm hand moves to his forehead, sweeping Sanghyuk’s hair back. It has to be the nicest feeling anyone has ever given him. He can feel the sting of tears roll down his cheeks, but at least this time, he doesn’t feel disappointed. His limbs and body are gently being moved by Inseong, and Sanghyuk knows that these hands would never betray him. _

 

* * *

 

 

“You didn’t deserve it, Dawonie. Neither did Chani, neither did any of us.”

 

“But I—” Dawon stops himself, looking up from his hands and at Inseong. “Chani? His name...is Chani?”

 

Inseong nods. “Cute, isn’t it?” He chuckles a little. “He’ll be doted on for the rest of his life now. We’ll all make sure of that.”

 

Dawon settles back into the couch. He understands the pain of being struck by family. In his mind, he felt as if his actions led to some dangerous consequences. But Chani? He probably doesn’t understand why he has to be treated in such a way. 

 

When’s the last time Chani ate something warm? Slept in a warm bed? If Inseong isn’t exaggerating the damaged state Chani is in (as he’s not one to do so), Dawon can’t imagine Chani even remembers what familial love even is. 

 

“How much longer until we can see him?” Dawon asks.

 

“I don’t know.” Inseong sighs and stands back up. “He seems the most comfortable with Youngbin around...I doubt I’ll be able to seperate them for very long. Chani’s newly turned, so he’ll want to cling onto his alpha like a baby. His body still isn’t where I would like him to be...I think we’ll need to go on a hunt to bring back meat for him.”

 

Dawon stands up with him. “What about the stuff in the freezer? Surely we can dip into our winter stash for him.”

 

“It would be better to give him a fresh kill to start. And when he can move on his feet, we can all go with him on his first run.”

 

“Oh God.” Dawon gasps. “How much longer until...we can do  _ that? _ ”

 

Inseong chuckles a little. “Not for a few weeks. But...I’m sure you’ll have plenty of time to impress him. I have a feeling he’ll take a quick liking to you.”

 

“Because I’m a great hyung?” Dawon asks with a glimmer in his eyes. Inseong only laughs again.

 

“Yes, Dawonie. You’re a great hyung.” Inseong reaches over and pulls Dawon into a hug, squeezing him tight. “You’re so great. You’re so smart, you’re so kind...I may not have seen what kind of person you were before we found you...but I know that this kind heart isn’t a side effect of being a wolf. These hands of yours were made to love, and I know the pack is safe with you around. I know...I’m safe with you.”

 

It’s hard to not be affected by Inseong’s warmth; even when he had been clinging onto life by thin straws, those warm hands touched the darkness of his heart and made him have a purpose for living. 

 

His tears sting at the corners of his eyes, but they don’t roll over any wounds this time. They pool where his face meet’s Inseong’s shoulder, soaking the older wolf’s shirt. Inseong’s hug becomes even tighter, smothering him with his scent that makes Dawon go weak in the knees. 

 

It’s the scent of  _ home. _


	4. sunshine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this time we have zuho's backstory on how he came into the family. chani is ready for a talk (and a warm meal)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this one took a little bit longer, hopefully another update will be faster!

“How do you feel, Alpha?” Juho sits down next to Youngbin, who tries his best to hide his exhaustion, but Juho is really good at gauging the older wolf’s mood. “Me and Inseong-hyung can watch Chani for a little while if you need a break.”

 

“No, it’s fine. I don’t mind watching after him…” Youngbin yawns despite himself fighting fatigue. He hadn’t really slept since he saved Chani from near-death. “I’m scared something will happen if I leave him alone for too long.”

 

Juho lets his head fall to the side, resting gently on Youngbin’s shoulder. “He’s safe now. He’s got eight wolves looking after him. I don’t think Chani’s going to be in danger with us around.”

 

“You speak with such optimism…” Youngbin chuckles. “I wish I could always see the bright side of things like you do.”

 

“ _ You’re _ my bright side.” Juho says, smiling when Youngbin begins to smell of embarrassment. “There is nothing brighter than you. I can promise you that.”

 

* * *

 

 

_ “Close all the blinds in here, and keep the air conditioning at exactly 23 degrees. My Juho can’t have cold fingers before he’s about to perform.” The woman inspects the room, not so impressed with the accommodations; she’d definitely be complaining to the board about the type of hospitality they show towards her precious son. “Do they think my Juho is so low-class to deserve this?” _

 

_ She huffs out of the room, annoyed, her heels clicking along the tile floor, echoing quieter until the sound is gone. Juho breathes a sigh of relief. He stands there awkwardly, shuffling on his feet. “I’m sorry...she is...really intense.” _

 

_ “Your wish is my command.” The younger boy says, rushing to close all of the blinds. Even though Juho’s mother isn’t around, he dares not make a mistake to fear whatever punishment the woman is capable of.  It hurts Juho a little bit; will anyone just treat him like a regular person? “Ah, this door is still broken…” The errand boy brings down all of the shades, making sure no sunlight streams in. “Let us know if you need anything else. We’ll be coming by later when you’re close to being on stage.” _

 

_ And just like that, Juho is all alone, the dim lights the only warm thing in the room. It’s quite large, perhaps an old classroom converted into a more modern design. The windows are all covered now, but Juho wonders this room might seem quite serene if they were open. _

 

_ He’s used to how overbearing his mother is, though it never feels any better. In her eyes, Juho’s skin is like porcelain, smooth, pure, and easily breakable. His fingers even more so are treated like a treasure; he slips off the silk gloves, staring at his hands. Juho’s fingers are long, his nails perfectly manicured and short, as his mother says, “pristine hands gifted by God, created for making magic on a violin.” There had been a time where his fingers had gone rough and calloused until they blood with how much practice he was forced into to. _

 

_ But after Juho had started to win awards, his mother had treated him like a special gem. His trophies give his life value. The audience is his life force. For Juho, there’s nothing but the violin. _

 

_ A strong breeze from outside makes the windows shake, creating a howling sound. And then the breeze suddenly bursts into the room, one of the curtains falling to the floor. A door to the outside opens… _

 

_ “Oh...wasn’t this door broken?” Juho feels mesmerized by the bright rays of sunshine that poor into the room. “When was the last time I saw sunlight?” His room at home is dark too; there’s only a window near the ceiling that opens to let fresh air in. The car his mother drives him in are all tinted and have curtains on the inside.  _

 

_ “You don’t need to see the outside world, Juho. You’re too good for it. All you need is the violin.” _

 

_ His mother’s words are chains. Each step towards the open door is a link coming undone. His foot hovers over the doorway. A bit of fear resides there; what if the world really will hurt him? Going backwards is safety, forward is uncertainty. But it’s something new, something Juho has never experienced before.  _

 

_ Juho steps completely outside, nothing between him and the sun’s rays. “It’s so warm.” Juho has a smile on his face. The sound of the door opening behind him alerts him to move. If someone is calling out for him, Juho can’t hear it. He runs down stairs from the balcony attached to his room and meets the sidewalk. Cars pass by on the open road, stoplights beeping when it’s safe to cross. The white lines mark his route, and he follows a path until he gets lost. _

 

_ Juho wanders for hours; he can’t decide which is better, the loud city or the quiet forest. His empty stomach doesn’t hinder him as he finds himself walking along a less-trodden path in the woods just outside of the city. He finds the sounds of wind rustling through trees, birds chirping, and the crunch of dead leaves and branches under his shoes drown out the sounds of cars.  _

 

_ A cabin looms into view, isolated from everything else. Besides the house, there doesn’t seem to be any humans around. There’s an old car under a canopy of trees, but it looks like it hasn’t been used in a long time. With his shiny shoes now caked in mud, he decides to go in and see if anyone living there is friendly. He’s at a point where now he can’t ignore the hunger anymore. _

 

_ Before Juho even has time to knock, the door opens, revealing a shorter red-head who smiles at him. “Ah, Youngbin said you’d be here! The smell of soap is quite strong on you.” He turns back into the house. “Hyung! He’s here!” _

 

_ The door opens wider and there’s a pleasant smell of a roaring fire within. Juho feels cold then, instantly stepping into the warm cabin. Along with the smell of burning wood, there’s a smell of meat, something so distinct to Juho but something he hasn’t had in a long time. The cabin is warm and inviting; two more boys come into view, and their smiles are even warmer than the fireplace. _

 

_ “Welcome home.” One boy says, stepping forward and extending his hand forward. “We’ve been waiting for you.” _

 

_ Juho feels a smile creep on his lips and he takes the boy’s hand into his own. “I’m...home…” He laughs at his own voice; when has the place where his mother raised him ever been home? _

 

_ Another boy comes barreling down the stairs and stares at Juho. “Youngbin-hyung, he smells so  _ clean. _ Is he going to be okay as a wolf?” _

 

_ Youngbin laughs. “Juho is an important part of our family. He’ll be the glue that holds us all together.” He turns back to Juho and smiles. “Welcome home, Juho.” _

 

_ Juho thinks Youngbin’s smile is brighter even than the newly discovered sun. He’s pulled into a hug warmer than the flames licking the charred firewood.  _

 

_ “Thank you.” _

 

* * *

 

 

“Um…” Chani clears his throat, standing kind of awkwardly by the bathroom door. His hands are in his pockets, and he rocks back and forth. “I don’t mean to interrupt...but…”

 

Juho stands up quickly. “O-oh, Chani.”

 

Youngbin still remains on the floor, but all of his attention is focused to their youngest wolf. “You’re speaking in full sentences.” He is perked up now. “Do you feel...better?”

 

Chani looks almost at a loss for words. “Y-yes...everything is...warm. And...kind of fuzzy.” He brings his hands out of his pockets and looks at his hands. The scars on his hands have disappeared. “I…” He struggles around his words. Juho rushes to his side and holds his arm to keep him from falling. 

 

“It’s okay, take your time and breathe.” He helps Chani sit back down next to Youngbin. Chani finds himself molded against his alpha, as he had been for the past two days. But now that he’s more coherent and self-aware, his face blooms red with embarrassment. 

 

Youngbin laughs. “It’s okay, Chani. Young wolves tend to cling to their alpha for a while.” He reaches over and pats Chani on the head. “Everyone in his house has clung to me when they first turned.”

 

Juho watches Chani carefully for a bit, then he stands up again. “I’m going to get Inseong-hyung. He’ll want to check on you and feed you.”

 

At the mention of food, Chani makes a small sound, causing the older wolves to laugh. Juho smiles.

 

“Do you like meat?” Juho asks, to which Chani nods enthusiastically. “I’m sure there’s a feast waiting for you.”

 

“A feast?” Chani looks up, doe-eyed. It dawns on Juho that he’d probably never seen a feast, let alone known what one entails. “Does that mean there will be rice too?”

 

Juho feels a part of him break. “Of course, Chani...there will be rice for you. Whatever you feel like eating.”

 

“Really?” Chani bites his lip. “I haven’t had rice in a long time...it sounds...good.”

 

Youngbin pulls Chani closer to him, wrapping his arms around the youngest wolf and presses a kiss to the top of his head. “You can eat rice every day.”

 

Chani, though embarrassed and a little out of place, enjoys the warmth of Youngbin’s love. It’s the first time anyone has ever shown him affection. He can’t help but break into tears because of the feeling.

  
  
  
  



	5. two alphas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> chani gets to eat, youngbin and inseong flashback to saving rowoon, another cereal thief emerges
> 
> i was unsure at first on how to approach the alpha who turns youngbin. but hopefully you like the cameo :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long! I should be updating faster from now on :)

Inseong nearly slams the door open before shutting it closed again. The restless wolves outside the door whimper and whine, trying to get a glimpse of their newest family member. “Chani, I have f—why is he crying?” He whimpers and rushes to his knees to look at Chani. “Do you hurt anywhere, Chani?”

 

Chani peels his wet face from Youngbin’s neck to look at Inseong. At first he doesn’t recognize the older wolf, but his voice is familiar. “Hurt? Mmm…” He licks his lips. “I’m sorry, I’m not hurt at all...just…” His stomach rumbles, a comedic break that puts Inseong at ease.

 

“Oh thank goodness.” Inseong falls onto his back, heaving a heavy sigh. “I was so worried.” After a moment of collecting himself, he sits back up again. Surprisingly, he has managed to not drop the plate of food in his hand. “Juho told me you were hungry, so I quickly put together a few things Jaeyoonie made.”

 

When the smell of freshly seared beef and warm fluffy rice finally registers to Chani, he quickly detangles himself from Youngbin’s grasp. “T-this...this is?”

 

“It’s short ribs cut up into tiny pieces. I figured eating with your fingers or a spoon would be easier for you.” Inseong crosses his legs and holds the plate out for Chani. “Have you been able to stand and walk properly?”

 

Chani gingerly takes a small piece of meat with his fingers; it’s still pink and soft in the middle, something Chani has never seen before. “I think I can walk okay.” He says quietly before eating the small piece. When it hits his tongue, his eyes go wide.

 

He tears up again, chewing slowly. Chani can’t remember the last time he ate something so delicious. Inseong opens his mouth in worry, but what he doesn’t smell is pain...but…

 

_ Pure joy. _

 

And yet it brings the older wolves a bittersweet pain.

 

* * *

 

 

“ _Fuck, we were wrong.”_ _Youngbin curses as he looks around the abandoned building. The smell is enough to tell him how wrong their predictions had been. His notebook that has the ways to find the rest of his pack had gotten wet when he dropped it in the rain not too long ago. Some of the pages were fine, but half of Rowoon’s page had been ruined._

 

_ The date had been smudged and he had to guess with Inseong on which day to come to this place to save one of their younger wolves. But they had been too late; the smell of blood is too strong for them to be right.  _

 

_ “Alpha, I found him!” Inseong calls from higher up the structure. Youngbin makes haste and climbs one of the concrete supports rather than bother looking for stairs. He follows the smell of his pack and of freshly spilled blood.  _

 

_ “Rowoon!” Youngbin calls out in pain, sliding in next to Inseong to get a better look at the tall boy. Had it not been for his heightened hearing to pick up on Rowoon’s weak pulse, he would have mistook the boy for a corpse. “How bad is it, Seongie?” _

 

_ Inseong sighs, having wrapped his own coat around Rowoon. “He’s alive, but he’s not going to survive much longer. I assume whatever vampire is holding him here probably was savoring one last drink. Had we been much later, I fear…” He huffs and ignores the thought. “Youngbin...I think we need to call upon your friend.” _

 

_ Youngbin trusts Inseong’s judgement with his life; if it’s something beyond the both of them, it would only make sense they would need outside help. He stands up and sheds his jacket too. “Keep him warm; shift if you have to.” Inseong wraps the other jacket around Rowoon and keeps a close eye on Rowoon’s pulse. _

 

_ With Rowoon in good hands, Youngbin climbs up the crumbling concrete until he’s at the very top. He lets his wolf take over, shifting out of his human form. He takes a deep breath, nose pointed towards the moon, and howls. His voice is loud and carries far, far enough to where help is listening nearby.  _

 

_ He howls until he can hear the foliage and twigs snapping nearby, the scent of an old friend coming to their aid. Youngbin transforms back and clambers back to where Rowoon is. _

 

_ “Wow, Alpha, your howl is so nice.” Inseong cooes, Rowoon curled up in Inseong’s lap as much as his long legs would allow. “It gave me chills.” _

 

_ Footsteps echo in the abandoned building as another wolf approaches them. If Youngbin’s howl gave Inseong chills, just this wolf’s presence is enough to make Inseong look away, head hanging low. This is another alpha, someone a beta like Inseong should revere. _

 

_ “T-thank you for coming, Alpha Hongki. I was running out of options.” Even Youngbin stutters. “I think saving him is beyond my skill level.”  _

 

_ Hongki sighs at the sight of Rowoon. “I thought my notes were accurate...what happened? You didn’t cross paths with the vampire, did you?” _

 

_ “No, we didn’t.” Youngbin confesses. “One of the pages got ruined...and the date was smudged. And we made the wrong guess.” He sighs, feeling restless. “Inseong is my beta, and a nurse. I needed his medical expertise me since I was going in blind. But he said Rowoon is far beyond...human help.”  _

 

_ “You’re right about that.” Hongki kneels down, gently turning Rowoon’s neck. “If you two were a day later, I think she may have turned him.” _

 

_ Youngbin hisses at the thought. “This wasn’t supposed to happen...I…” _

 

_ Hongki stands back up and places his hands on Youngbin’s shoulder. “Look at me, Youngbin-ah. I didn’t make you an Alpha because I thought you were weak or flawed.” He squeezes the younger boy’s shoulders. “And don’t feel like calling for me is a sign of weakness. We all have different strengths. I gave these boys as a task to you because it’s something I cannot.” _

 

_ “I...yes, hyung.” Youngbin sighs, still disappointed in himself. But Hongki’s words give him a bit of courage. Inseong’s pride-filled eyes also make him feel a little bit better. _

 

_ Inseong maneuvers so he could let Hongki do whatever he’s planning on while staying close to give Rowoon as much body heat as he can. “This is more than just his blood being drained...isn’t it?” _

 

_ “Mmm…” Hongki kneels back down again. “He’s been poisoned. Whoever is holding him here is being quite reckless.” He gently tilts Rowoon’s neck, noticing the different puncture marks; they’re not clean or precise at all. “Skilled vampires can feed without poisoning their victims and can leave them enough blood to survive. But this one is sloppy...his venom has been leaking into his bloodstream ever since the first bite.” _

 

_ There’s a pause; Inseong and Youngbin itch to know if it’s something Hongki can fix. The smell of tension makes Hongki cough. _

 

_ “You two are quite lucky calling me when you did. This kid was going to turn before the morning.” Hongki rolls up his sleeves. “And you’re lucky dealing with vampires is my expertise.” He spreads Rowoon’s skin taut and sinks his own teeth in.   _

 

_ Inseong watches in awe. He knows it’s possible to suck venom out of a wound from a poisonous snake, who knew it could translate to vampire venom! He couldn’t keep his eyes away, even when Hongki spits the first traces on the ground and goes in Rowoon’s neck once more. _

 

_ It takes two more times before Hongki stands up, wiping blood from his mouth. Youngbin seems a bit worried. “Hyung, are you going to be okay?” _

 

_ “Hmm?” Hongki puts his puffy jacket back on. “Oh, I’m fine. Vampire venom doesn’t affect me like it would you two.” He laughs. “When you’re a hundred years old, this is child’s play.” He gives another haughty laugh when he smells amazement from the two younger wolves. _

 

_ Rowoon makes a sound, alerting all three of them. Inseong still has Rowoon cradled against him, and Youngbin rushes over to see how Rowoon. The color is returning to his skin, but he still feels cold. “Rowoonie, can you hear me?” _

 

_ “It’s okay to turn him now.” Hongki says, looking at three of the wolves he picked to form a pack; he feels a bit of pride to see how efficiently Inseong and Youngbin worked when faced with an issue like saving Rowoon. They were attentive and caring to one another, just like Hongki and his pack were. “I’ll take care of the vampire, so please get Rowoon back home.” _

 

_ Youngbin turns his head for a moment, bowing his head in respect. “Thank you hyung.” And then Hongki is off, leaving the three of them alone once more. He turns to Inseong as Rowoon starts coming to. “Alright, hold him carefully. Let’s make sure we get our Rowoon back safe and sound. _

 

* * *

 

 

“It reminds me of…”

 

“Rowoonie.” Inseong finishes Youngbin’s statement. “The first bite of rice, the first shower in what feels like ages…”

 

Youngbin smiles as Chani eats quite vigorously. He seems like he would have been the type to eat quietly and cautiously as a human, but his new wolf-sized hunger is more keen on finishing the entire plate, not leaving a speck of rice left. “Chani~” He calls out with a hum. “You’re going to have so many brothers now; we’re all going to shower you in love.”

 

Chani looks up from his food; he’s not quite sure how to feel. The pain of losing his sisters is still an open wound, but the kindness from his hyungs have already given him a sense that his suffering is over now. He smiles wide, a piece of rice stick to the side of his cheek. “Thank you…” He presses his lips together before speaking again. “You don’t happen to have cheerios here...do you?”

 

Inseong laughs. “Oh have I got cheerios for you.” He stands up with the empty plate and laughs. “Jaeyoon is going to have  _ two  _ cereal thieves to look after now.” He cackles even louder as he leaves the room to go fill up Chani’s plate more.


	6. a true family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a few weeks have passed. rowoon and dawon really adore chani and it shows. jaeyoon worries about the past. but inseong is there to reassure him. we see how these two boys escape their own shackles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a little bit shorter of a wait this time, I might not be able to post for a few days :)

“Wow.” Inseong whispers quietly. “I can’t picture a cuter scene.” He’s about to pull out his phone but stops when he sees Jaeyoon already snapping hundreds of pictures of the trio they found asleep on the couch. “Send them to me, yeah?”

 

Jaeyoon hushes for Inseong to be quiet, taking a few more before standing up straight and smiling at his phone. “Wow.” He echoes before saving them to his account in case something were to happen to his phone. “I knew Chani was going to be an adorable addition to our pack, but...I didn’t expect  _ this. _ ”

 

“Well,” Inseong shrugs, “you can’t blame them. Dawonie and Rowoonie really felt for him.” He watches on, Chani sandwiched between two of his hyungs, one arm stuck in a box of cheerios. They’re now fast asleep from watching too much TV. “But the cereal thing...I can’t understand how Taeyang even taught him that. They barely even met.”

 

“Oh, Taeyang is the one stealing all of the cheerios?” Jaeyoon huffs, a little annoyed at the thief. “I’m sending him out for a grocery run again. And he won’t be buying cheerios.”

 

Inseong giggles a bit to himself. “Don’t pretend like you won’t order an entire case with next day delivery.” Jaeyoon pretends like he doesn’t hear; with Chani around, he’s going to be having a hard time punishing  _ two  _ cereal addicts. “That reminds me, are our funds okay? We’ve been buying a lot of food lately…”

 

Setting a hand on Inseong’s shoulder, Jaeyoon smiles. “Yeah, we’re barely halfway through my inheritance. And when it gets really low, then we can figure something out.” He yawns a bit, gives a small nuzzle to Inseong’s cheek before walking upstairs to fall asleep.

 

Inseong hopes they never have to go back to that place and put Jaeyoon in that kind of stress ever again.

 

* * *

 

 

_ “Yoonie! Your knight in shining armor has arr…” Inseong pauses in the doorway. Instead of helping Jaeyoon study for his upcoming test, he sees plans have changed. Instead of being greeted by his best friend, Inseong is greeted not only by Jaeyoon, but by what he assumes are his parents. He’s never met Jaeyoon’s family, but he suddenly feels like he knows why he’s never met them. _

 

_ “You’re this...Inseong...my son has been spending time with?” Jaeyoon’s mother huffs, pressing a protective hand on her son’s shoulder. She speaks as if just having Inseong’s name on her lips is insulting. “There are so many children from respectable families at this school and yet my son is swayed by the school’s charity case?” _

 

_ “Um, ma’am, I—” _

 

_ “Excuse me?” She calls out, her voice trilling which grates on Inseong’s ears. “Did this school not teach you to respect your elders?”   _

 

_ Inseong looks to Jaeyoon, a bit panicked, but Jaeyoon’s in a worser state than himself. He looks petrified, the color of his skin paling, the sparkle in his eyes gone. He can see now that his mother’s grip on his shoulder is anything but loving. “Sorry, ma’am.” _ __   
  


_ She huffs. “I can see you’re a fiend of low manners. You interrupt your elders, take my precious Jaeyoon on superfluous food trips when my son should be studying for his law exams...do you treat the teachers of this school the same? Do you take all of the money the parents of this school have spent so you can waltz around like you’re someone special? And you lower my son’s grades so you can be the top student?” Her voice gets higher with every accusation. “Do you intend to rob us as well? You are a despicable fiend!” _

 

_ “Mom, please—” _

 

_ “Jaeyoon, you be quiet and let your mother finish.” _

 

_ Hearing her son’s voice, Jaeyoon’s mother turns to speak to her son. “My Jaeyoon...you want to involve yourself with filth? This demon will amount to nothing but taking what is rightfully yours! You’re the one I poured our hard-earned money into your crams schools, your internships with universities...Jaeyoon, you’re going to be a lawyer! This...boy you insist on wasting away with will not amount to anything but a bug beneath your shoe! Do you not understand that?” _

_ Rather than being insulted by Jaeyoon’s mother, Inseong feels more pain for Jaeyoon; his best friend doesn’t deserve to be treated like this. He steps forward, attempting to do something to free Jaeyoon from his grasp, but he’s stopped in his tracks from Jaeyoon’s father. _

 

_ “You stay away from my son. What other kind of nonsense have you infected him with?” _

 

_ “He makes Jaeyoon eat spicy things after school! No wonder he always comes home so tired.” _

 

_ “But Jaeyoon likes spicy food!” Inseong frowns and looks at Jaeyoon, who seems so ashamed to exist in this moment.  _

 

_ “Why would my Jaeyoon eat something so low class?” Jaeyoon’s mother looks at her son in the chair then brings her purse over her shoulder. “Jaeyoon, let’s go now. I’ll let the board know we can’t have such a boy in this respectable school.” _

 

_ Jaeyoon stands up abruptly from his desk. He’s balled his hands into fists. “You leave hyung alone. He’s worked so hard to get into this school. He’s  _ really _ smart! Smarter than me! There’s a reason he’s number one and I’m not! But who cares about who’s first or not? He’s my precious friend!” _

 

_ “Jaeyoon, your poor mind has been infected. No one low class can beat my Jaeyoon. This boy has nothing; he has no worth like you do, Jaeyoon.” She tightens her arm around her purse. “Now let’s go get you ready for cram school.” _

 

_ “No!” Jaeyoon makes a beeline for Inseong and clings onto his arm. “I’m not going anywhere with you.” Inseong can feel how much Jaeyoon is shaking in fear. He has never defied his parents before. “I’m not coming home. I’m not going to be a lawyer...I’m not going to do anything you want.” _

 

_ Jaeyoon’s mother is stunned. She stares in shock and disdain. Her face turns bright red with anger, and the two boys fear she’ll explode. But instead Jaeyoon’s father steps forward to Inseong and Jaeyoon. He looks between them, and recognizes the determined gazes in their eyes.  _

 

_ “Honey, why are you so upset? You’re not going to change his mind.” Jaeyoon’s father fishes through the back of his pocket for his wallet, pulling it open. “As far as I’m concerned,” he says with two credit cards in his hands and a wad of hundred dollar bills, “I don’t have a son.” He gives the handful to Jaeyoon, gives him a final glance, then walks out of the classroom.  _

 

_ Inseong can barely process the gesture. Jaeyoon is still shaking next to him. Jaeyoon’s mother looks like her head will burst. She walks slowly, her legs stiff,  past the two boys in pure shock. Eventually she follows her husband out, only to scream in the hallway. The sounds of incredulous curses and cries for her sun eventually fade to silence.  _

 

_ “What just happened?” Inseong asks, wide-eyed. _

 

_ “I think...my father...finally gave up on me.” Jaeyoon laughs once, sinking to his knees. His legs can’t seem to hold him up anymore. “I always knew he didn’t care...but he just gave me money like I can be sold for a price.” He laughs again. With his shackles gone, he feels free, but with a bittersweet price. “Instead of losing a son, they just lost their reputation. It can always be built back with enough money.” _

 

_ Inseong leans down and helps Jaeyoon back on his feet again. “I’m sure your parents—” _

 

_ “No, not even my mother. She doesn’t love her son, but loves that she can seem important if I amount to something. She looks good when I look good. That’s it.” Jaeyoon wads the money up and shoves it in his back pocket. “Hey, hyung.” Jaeyoon smiles at his best friend. “I’m really craving some spicy rice cakes. My treat!”  _

 

* * *

 

 

When Inseong finally makes it back to his room, Jaeyon is curled up in a ball on the bed. He quickly changes into something comfortable before curling up next to the other wolf. “Hey.” He says quietly, resting his hand on Jaeyoon’s cheek. “You alright?”

 

“Mhm.” Jaeyoon nods quietly, slowly opening his eyes to look at Inseong. “Why?”

 

“Because I can smell your fear.” Inseong says calmly, smoothing his thumb across Jaeyoon’s cheek. “You don’t have to hide from me. I know you don’t want to go back there.”

 

“I can do it, I really can.” Jaeyoon says as confident as he can, but it’s hard to get by Inseong’s keen sense of smell. Inseong had always been good at knowing what really goes on in Jaeyoon’s mind. “I’m strong enough.”

 

Inseong sighs and pulls Jaeyoon into a sweet hug. “We won’t go back there. I won’t let you.”

 

“But hyung, I—”

 

“Not happening, Yoonie.” Inseong chuckles. “We have a family right here. There’s no need to go back to the past.” He kisses the top of Jaeyoon’s head. “We’ll be alright, Jaeyoonie.” He adores the way Jaeyoon nuzzles into him, letting Inseong’s calming, warm scent wash over it. It makes Jaeyoon fall asleep much quicker. “We’ll be alright.” 


	7. healing sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> we get to see a bit of hwiyoung and taeyang's past and relationship
> 
> *note, although i have their ships tagged, I plan on keeping all the relationships more platonic :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it took so long D;

“So, do you remember everything?” Taeyang asks.

 

Chani looks up at his hyung with hope in his eyes. “Always come down for snacks _after_ 1am. Bring Dawon hyung’s sock. Pour the cereal into a towel so it doesn’t make noise. Make sure hyung’s scent is all over the kitchen. Escape quietly.” His eyes sparkle, hoping for praise.

 

And Taeyang gives it to him. “Yes, you’ve learned well. Jaeyoon hyung hasn’t caught on to me yet. And next week we’ll use Hwiyoung’s socks.”

 

“Who’s sock are you using?” Hwiyoung comes into the kitchen, yawning and heading straight for the fridge.

 

“Inseong hyung.” Taeyang panics. Chani slips behind his hyung to hide away.

 

“But he doesn’t eat cheerios.” Hwiyoung adds, pouring himself a glass of milk before putting the carton back in the fridge. “You should just take the whole box to your room.”

 

A sense of realization washes over Taeyang. “Ah!” He exclaims quietly. “That’s a great idea.” He turns to Chani. “You got that, Chani? Just take the whole box.”

 

Hwiyoung laughs in between sips of his milk. “Hyung already knows it’s you.”

 

Taeyang freezes. “What?”

 

“Yeah, I overheard him and Inseong hyung talking about you. I heard cheerios isn’t on the shopping list.”

 

Taeyang and Chani both equally gasp for air. “Hyung wouldn’t…”

 

“You and I both know he would.” Hwiyoung quips before washing out his cup and going back upstairs. “Come back to bed, hyung. It’s late.”

 

Looking at the now frightened Chani, Taeyang feels a sense of dread; Chani had just gotten used to having cheerios whenever he wanted, and now taking that away because of Taeyang’s own mischief breaks his heart. “Don’t be sad, Chani. We will get more cheerios.”

 

* * *

 

 

_Taeyang watches the joy fade from Hwiyoung’s eyes; he watches as his hyung looses himself to fear, to anger. It’s not Hwiyoung’s fault. But with fingers pointed to him as the culprit, Hwiyoung doesn’t have much to lean on. His confidence, his pride, it all dissipates._

 

_“It doesn’t make sense! I have notes with so many more details to this project that those goons will never understand!”_

 

_“But it’s strange that your projects are the same...I want to believe you, Youngkyun. But these other boys can’t be lying either.” The counselor takes a deep breath. “They already have paths to great schools...it’s not like you’re going to college. Just take this as a learning experience and learn some trade skills after graduation.”_

 

_Hwiyoung’s voice gets louder. “So what? They have money? Is that a reason to let them steal my work? Do I have to give up this project I have worked years on because I don’t have any money? What kind of teacher are you?”_

 

_“Listen, Youngkyun—”_

 

_“No, you don’t get to lecture me you old hag! That project is my work! And you’re letting some rich kids steal it because they have enough money to go to college? You bi—”_

 

_“Hwiyoung.” Taeyang says quietly, but it’s loud enough for the younger boy to hear, calming enough to keep him quiet. “Let’s go home.”_

 

_“But—”_

 

_“Let’s go home.” Taeyang repeats, standing up and holding out his hand. It takes Hwiyoung a few moments to take his hyung’s head, leaving his frustration and anger in that room. Taeyang has that effect on people, especially Hwiyoung. His stress usually melts away with just a touch._

 

_Though, this pain is far too great for just a gentle squeeze of Taeyang’s hand._

 

_“It’s not fair hyung.” Hwiyoung whines once they’ve left the school office. His shoulders slump in defeat; as much as he itches to go back and give those teachers a verbal lashing, he knows it would make Taeyang look equally as bad. They’ve been best friends for a long time...he wouldn’t want to put his hyung in such a position. But he can’t help but feel wronged._

 

_“I know.” Taeyang replies softly; there’s not much he can do other than mitigate the pain._

 

_“I worked hard to get that award.” Hwiyoung fights back tears._

 

_“I know that. Your hard work will pay off one day.”_

 

_Hwiyoung scoffs. “When I hit the lottery, or some old uncle I never knew about dies and writes me in his inheritance.”_

 

_“You don’t need to wait that long.”_

 

_An unfamiliar voice stops the two boys in their tracks. Somehow, amongst the noise of the students just being let out of class, this voice is louder and more clear, yet not loud at all. His red hair stands out amongst a sea of dark hair, his stance wide and carrying an air of superiority about him. He couldn’t have been much older than the two of them, but the man seems to carry a bit of wisdom with him. His voice easily stops them in their tracks._

 

_“If you come with me, Taeyang, Hwiyoung...you’ll never have to live through that humiliation again.”_

 

* * *

 

 

“You chided me for staying up late but you’re still working on that app.” Taeyang sighs, flopping on the bed. He rolls around on it, covering the sheets with his scent.

 

“I didn’t chide you.” Hwiyoung replies with a yawn before tick-tacking away at his keyboard. “This app will give us enough money to buy a lifetime supply of cheerios.”

 

Taeyang huffs. “Don’t try to use my cheerios as a bribe.” He rolls onto his side of the bed. “Leave them out of this.”

 

Hwiyoung laughs. “Do you love cheerios more than me?”

 

“Food and companionship are two seperate things. You can’t trade one for the other.” Taeyang rolls on his stomach and mumbles into the pillow. “I would pick cheerios.”

 

“I heard that!” Hwiyoung sits up from his computer and hurls a pillow at Taeyang. “Sometimes I wonder if you forget we’re not human anymore.”

 

Looking up from the bed, he pouts at Hwiyoung. “How can I forget? I have an insatiable appetite, I sleep so much longer now, and I have the power to protect you.”

 

Hwiyoung’s smile falls. “Protect me? Hyung, you don’t need—”

 

“I never want to see that look on your face again...I never want to see the pride disappear from your eyes.” Taeyang buries himself in the pillow again. “I don’t want you to be hurt ever again.”

 

For a moment Hwiyoung just stares; but eventually he shuts off his computer and joins Taeyang in the bed. “It’s not going to happen again.” He reaches out, letting his hands rake through Taeyang’s dark silky hair. “We have a much bigger family now...a pack of wolves who will stand by us no matter what. I dare anyone to try and wrong us again.” 

 

“I’ll chew out their throats.” Taeyang says quietly, the gruesome sight not matching his sweet tone of voice. “I wouldn’t eat them though...they don’t deserve to be considered food.”

 

Hwiyoung whistles. “Alright hyung, let’s put those thoughts away for a different time, hmm?” He smiles and turns off the light before snuggling under the covers. But he couldn’t deny the fact that seeing Taeyang rip out those rich boys’ throats wasn’t a completely terrible sight. It seems more like a pleasant dream than a nightmare.


	8. you complete me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> youngbin thinks to the past, and realizes that the future ahead of him and his pack is so, so bright

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all this is the last chapter of this fic! but it won't be the last part of this series. "we'll be alright" is just a set up for oneshots to come. i have more stories to tell, so i hope you'll enjoy those :)
> 
> thanks for sticking with me this far! i really appreciate the lovely comments from y'all, they really brighten my day :) i hope you'll enjoy the future of these precious boys and what's in store for the domestic life <3

Youngbin doesn't cry; even growing up alone in an orphanage of unfortunate children, Youngbin had felt like he didn't have time to cry. He would console the other children, stand up for them and take the fall whenever they misbehaved.

 

He likes to think the memories are long gone now, but once in a while they come back to haunt him. He'll wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, eyes shooting wide open until his eyes adjust to the darkness and the one nightlight by the door. Sometimes Zuho is asleep, sometimes Zuho notices and holds him tight until they fall back asleep again.

 

This time feels real, the fire from the burning building licking at Youngbin's fingertips. Without fear, he rescues as many kids as he can carry. They're crying and sobbing, some of them staring into empty space, unable to process that everything they knew about life is crumbling down into ashes.

 

But he saves every single child. All by himself, Kim Youngbin, barely eighteen years old. And once the children are at a safe distance, sat atop a snowy hill watching their only home burn in silence, the tears stop falling. All that they know of a home is anything but nice; the scars from their guardians linger; they even burn more painful than the flames themselves.

 

"Youngbin." His name is called over and over, echoing over the burning fire. "Youngbin, wake up. "Hyung...please."

 

A warm hand finds Youngbin's cheek, soft and gentle. Youngbin finally does open his eyes, that familiar cold sweat so apparent on his forehead. But Zuho is already wiping at it with a towel. "Sorry." Youngbin sighs."

 

"Don't be." Zuho says calmly, satisfied that Youngbin is dry enough before nestling closer. "You were thinking about the children? At the orphanage?"

 

Youngbin stares up at the ceiling; Zuho presses his body against his hyung's side, head on his shoulder. Zuho's toes gently prod one of Youngbin's legs. "Yeah."

 

Zuho lightly pokes Youngbin's cheek with one finger. It's a small gesture, but it makes Youngbin turn to face the younger wolf. "You always said the children turned out fine. That they got out of the fire."

 

"Yeah." Youngbin takes a deep breath, finally grounding himself with Zuho's help so his mind doesn't wander off to some dark place. "They went to good homes. Good families...places that the children could feel safe."

 

He doesn't know where they are now; maybe he should have kept tabs on them, seen them grow up. Instead he waits for the occasional letter from Hongki that those children are just fine.

 

"Do you ever feel like going back?" Zuho asks quietly, sliding one of his hands down Youngbin's arms until their palms meet, until he laces their fingers together and squeezes gently. "Really saying goodbye to everything?"

 

Youngbin thinks a moment, squeezing Zuho's hand back. A small smile spread on his lips and he leans over to give Zuho a soft, chaste kiss. He adds another kiss on Zuho's nose for good measure. "There's no need to go back there. All nine of us are here now...it's all I need."

 

* * *

 

 

_ "Is it done?" _

 

_ "Yeah, the children are all safe now thanks to you." Hongki frowns down at the young boy laying in the snow. "I can't say the same for you." _

 

_ Youngbin doesn't say anything; the soot falling almost looks like snow, and he watches them in awe. "I'll be fine." _

 

_ "All of your fresh wounds have opened up." Hongki says quietly; he doesn't have the heart to tell him the snow all around him isn't white anymore. "Not to mention the burns from the fire." _

 

_ "I'll be fine." He insists again, but there's no weight to his words. Youngbin knows he's at the end of his rope. "This is fine. The view is nice...the falling snow..." _

 

_ Hongki sighs. "I can help you, Kim Youngbin. I can save you from this place. All of the scars from this place will disappear in an instant." _

 

_ Youngbin peeks up at the other, his gaze blank still. "Will the memories go away?" _

 

_ There's a long pause. It's not an easy answer for Hongki. He can only imagine what went on in that house. He can only imagine what made those deep red marks on Youngbin's skin; he can only imagine what happened to make a Youngbin act the way he does, like a robot without emotion. Youngbin is only a human; even Hongki wouldn't be nonchalant with injuries like those. Maybe Youngbin has gone through even worse than this. But he can only imagine. _

 

_ "Over time, they will." Hongki says finally. "Not completely, but I've lived for nearly a hundred years. It's not hard to forget about things that happened so long ago." _

 

_ The words marinate with Youngbin for a while, chewing over the words and the implications behind being "saved." _

 

_ "Did you go through something like this in your past?" Youngbin asks, grimacing when he tries   to move his head. _

 

_ Hongki laughs. "You'd be disgusted if I told you." Still, he leans down by Youngbin's side and reaches for one of his hands. He squeezes it gently, but he can tell Youngbin has already lost all feeling there. "Do you want me to save you, Kim Youngbin?" _

 

_ It's a strange thing to Youngbin; no one has ever showed any care for him at all, let alone a complete stranger. He's learned to trust no one, but it's not like he has any options left. _

 

_ "Yeah." Youngbin says quietly Hongki barely even hears it. "Please." _

 

* * *

 

 

"Wow, I think I just fell for you again." Zuho sighs dramatically as Youngbin falls back against the pillows again.

 

"Ugh...that was too much." Youngbin groans; he doesn't consider himself a romantic type. When there's a mood for it, he'll shower Zuho in affection. But even sometimes he embarrasses himself. He closes his eyes and throws his arm over his head.

 

Zuho doesn't seem to mind either way. He nudges forward, resting both of his arms on Youngbin's chest, watching him closely. "You don't have to serenade me anymore, but I definitely wouldn't mind another kiss...or two."

 

Youngbin's eyes flash open, moving his arm up so he could look at Zuho prooperly. "Or three?" Zuho laughs.

 

"Five." Zuho smiles, holding up his fingers and wiggling them in the air. And even though Youngbin surges up, gently pressing Zuho on his back, Zuho never stops smiling. Youngbin too feels the familiar pull of the side of his mouth, smiling as he smothers the other wolf with his body.

 

"Are you going to keep count?" Youngbin asks, teasing as he noses Zuho's neck and breathes his scent in. Having the scent of his pack constantly on his mind keeps Youngbin grounded; it keeps his mind from wandering, from going to dark places, to worrying too much. Zuho's scent is especially comforting; the specific smell of Zuho being kissed and showered in love is Youngbin's favorite.

 

"Well why don't we start with one?" Zuho smiles, hugging his arms around his alpha, his leader, his friend, his partner, his everything.

 

The once quiet room is now filled with kisses and giggles. They stop sometimes, chat about how the world will never be the same now that they've become a part of each other's lives. The kiss count is long forgotten, and they start over with nearly each one.

 

Suddenly, there's a loud thump from upstairs, breaking the moment between Youngbin and Zuho. A small stretch of silence follows before there's an uproar of laughter. Zuho groans.

 

"Do you want me to go up there and...Youngbin?"

 

Youngbin doesn't cry; even growing up alone in an orphanage of unfortunate children, Youngbin had felt like he didn't have time to cry. He would console the other children, stand up for them and take the fall whenever they misbehaved.

 

But just this once Youngbin finds tears streaming down his face. That laughter is new to him, a deep yet light jingle of a sound. There are other voices mixed in, but that one stands out to him. Zuho eventually realizes what made Youngbin into this state. ''Have...we ever heard Chani laugh yet?"

 

"No." Youngbin chokes out, shaking his head as his vision gets blurry with tears. He is the only once who has seen where Chani came from. It's so painfully similar to his past (and Dawon's too) that Youngbin knows it takes time to heal from that sort of trauma. Hell, Youngbin isn't even sure he himself is fully recovered.

 

Yet so soon Chani's laughter melds in with the sounds of the pack. It had taken a long time for Youngbin to know the meaning of happiness, what it takes for him to smile and laugh. It's the first time he's heard such a wonderful sound. He imagines what the children at the orphanage might be doing now, laughing and smiling with their own families.

 

The mood of the house changes then, the laughter dies down immensely. Jaeyoon isn't scolding them for making such a ruckus at an ungodly hour. No, it's because the pack feels the pain of their leader, their alpha, and it hurts for them just as much.

 

Dawon howls first; the sound echoes against the walls, in each wolf's chest. The other wolves follow suit, howling together at the pain of their leader. Even in Zuho's arms, Youngbin can't seem to stop crying. His dam had been holding strong for a long time, but even the strongest  of dams can overflow and spill over, years and years of buildup finally letting go past the barrier until it's completely empty.

 

Youngbin howls alongside them, the ache is his chest slowly dissipating. This is their pack, their family, their forever. They've all become whole again, filling in their broken pieces with this newfound groups of boys that will surely erase their terrible past and make new memories where there's not suffering anymore.

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> please tell me what you thought!


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